jaebility | 3:10 to yuma drabble

There was an ocean of silence as they paused to reloaded; in the hollow quiet, Ben heard a rough whisper of instructions - They were splitting up, trying to surround him. Fools, he thought gratefully. Be easy to pick them off one by one, now, 'stead of trying to just break their wall of flesh.

The lanterns that had been spilling ineffective whiteness into the smoky storeroom swung and then disappeared as the posse separated. He counted five running east, three west; Big Jacob still stood in the door, a goddamn Goliath. Probably another one or two circling their boss, even if Ben couldn't see them. He lowered himself carefully down the mountain of boxes he'd been using as a perch, moving his boots carefully down the wood-dusty slope until he'd reach Dan's side.

"Now's our chance," he grabbed Dan under the arms and hoisted him to his feet, not bothering to explain or inquire. The rancher grunted and his sharp fingers dug into Ben's arm, staining his coat rusty red. Once Dan had propped himself up, Ben searched around his waist, took Dan's revolver. "Promise I'll give it back."

Dan shoved away Ben's hands and leaned heavily on his rifle. "Won't need it. We can get out - Here, boards are rotted. Don't even need to break 'em, just push 'em. Quietly."

He couldn't see, but Ben dropped to his knees and ran his hands over the wood wall, feeling for weakness. Two against three - at least - were odds he didn't trust, not with Dan re-painting the damn room with his blood. A test proved Dan right - The boards crackled and splinted an dropped away. They could snake through, bellies to the dust, and he could back 'round, shoot that fucker Jacob right in his cowardly back.

"Gotta hurry," he said over his shoulder. "They split up to search. Gotta get out before they reach back here."

Dan's hand clasped Ben's shoulder hard as he lowered himself to the ground. He grunted again and there was a sound of splattering, but he hurried, pushing Ben aside as he wiggled between the panels. Ben followed, sliding on the blood out onto the dirt.